John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

682. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of applications that have been received from, and granted to, persons providing accommodation in each official Gaeltacht area under the Irish language learners scheme in each of the past five years. [47961/14]

Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge, Gaeltacht households can apply for approval to my Department to accommodate students attending recognised Irish courses in Gaeltacht colleges. In general terms, such applications are generally referred to my Department through the local Gaeltacht college, following extensive enquiries beforehand with regard to the various requirements under the scheme – for example, that Irish is the spoken language of the household; that all members of the family are fluent Irish speakers; that all members of the family, 16 years or older, are vetted with An Garda Síochána in accordance with the appropriate provisions of Children First;and that the household meets the required level of compliance with the requisite fire safety management measures.

The number of new households that were approved over the last 5 years is set out in tabular form below. I am advised that there are no live applications currently on hand. For completeness, the overall number of approved households providing accommodation for students in the last 5 years is also set out below.